In the following descriptions and claims, the term "coherent fiber-optic bundle" is used to denote a fiber-optic bundle where each fiber at one end has the exact same location at the other end. The term "objective lens" is used for the lens closest to the object, and the term "eyepiece lens" for the lens closest to the eye.
Known spectacle-based magnifying systems are comprised of a combination of regular spectacles with magnifying lenses attached to the front surface of the spectacles.
The user, while observing the scene through the regular spectacles, can also observe the same magnified scene by directing his line of sight through the magnifying lens. By doing so, the user can perform delicate operations such as jewelry repair or surgery. However, for better performance, the system must have a high magnification, stereo-view, and enable observation beneath obstructed or hard-to-get-to areas. Such devices are very expensive and sometimes impossible to obtain with current technology.
While today's fiber-optic based magnification systems allow observation of obstructed areas, it does not offer the three-dimensional stereo-view needed in these dedicate operations. They are also cumbersome to use because they do not give a view of the overall scenery. The user must remove the instrument from the work area in order to gain this view. This limits the use of a fiber-scope system for monitoring remote events through the fiber system or inspecting otherwise inaccessible or hazardous area.